Venue: Remotely via Microsoft Teams. View directions
Contact: Gareth Borsden 01792 636923
No. | Item |
---|---|
Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests. Minutes: In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by both
Authorities, no interests were declared. |
|
To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record. Minutes: Resolved that the
Minutes of the West Glamorgan Archives Committee meeting held on 11 December
2020 be approved as a correct record |
|
2021/2022 Revenue Budget. PDF 327 KB Minutes: Kim Collis presented the report of the Director of Place
which gave details of the Joint Archive Service Revenue Budget for 2021/2022
and the reserves held by the Joint Archive Service, which was submitted for
information only. He indicated that it was again a virtual standstill budget, other for than a small uplift for living wage increases. The table in the report showed the estimated position of the Archive reserves as at 31 March 2021. This had risen by £30,000 during the year due to an underspend in budget linked to the pandemic. Discussion took place around the use of the reserves and the potential re-introduction of the publications fund should the need arise. He outlined that the Archives trainee remains unfilled due to recruitment issues and detailed the increase to other staff hours to ensure service continuity. Members noted the report. |
|
Report of the County Archivist. PDF 343 KB Minutes: The County Archivist presented a report which outlined the
work of the Joint Archive Service during the period December 2020 – February
2021. Fees and Charges Kim Collis referred to the table of fees and charges for the
Service which remain unchanged from 2020 and will apply from 1 April 2021. Members of the committee noted the levels of fees &
charges and supported the freezing of charges given the wider economic context. COVID-19 Pandemic He outlined that the service had reopened to the public on a much reduced
capacity last year, with social distancing measures in place, prior to the
latest national lockdown on December 19. He detailed that staff continue as a rule to work from home, whilst
maintaining regular physical visits to the civic centre, to ensure the
strongroom is checked and mail is collected and any necessary work and document
retrieval for council staff is undertaken. He indicated that the future use and provision of the service will depend
a lot on the confidence of both volunteers and users to return to “normal” and
visit the facilities in person. Outreach and Educational Activity He detailed the various pieces of work that the service had been
involved with on the “Commemorating the Three Nights’ Blitz” which had
its 80th anniversary between 18-21 February 2021 which included the
publishing online of a memorial which contains 392 names, with
information about where they are buried and how to find out more infomation. A
separate section of the memorial includes the names of the 26 people who died
in the Neath Port Talbot area. The memorial is on the Archive Service website
at www.swansea.gov.uk/article/60957. He outlined that, on the same
date last year, the Service had published a reprint of the 1994 work by Dr John
Alban entitled The Three Nights’ Blitz. On
19 February, Dr Alban gave an online
talk about Swansea’s air raids on behalf of the Archive Service. 176 people
attended the live event and a large amount of positive feedback was received.
An audio recording of the talk was made and has been uploaded to social media,
this had been shared over 100 times and had in excess of 2,000 hits. Two films were also produced by
the Archive Service and posted on social media to tell the story of the Blitz
from different perspectives. The first is based on a narration of the war diary
of James R. John, a local journalist and Home Guard member, and the second uses
photographs from the collections to depict the effect of the blitz on the town.
There are Welsh and English versions of both films. The first has been viewed
in excess of 2,600 times in total while the second has been viewed over 13,100
times. The two films and Dr Alban’s talk can be accessed on the Archive Service
website at www.swansea.gov.uk/article/61448. The commemorations were
publicised widely, including on our social media and in the press. There was a
feature on the BBC Wales website (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56082255)
and in the South Wales Evening Post. He also outlined that additional teaching resources relating
to the Blitz had been added to the online provision and is mainly aimed at KS2
& KS3 pupils. He further outlined the
ongoing work to Wales’ connection with the Slave Trade, which has developed into a pan Wales project with contributions
from archive services across the country and the National Library. He indicated that the proposal and idea had also developed into two
modules, the first looking at the slave trade, with the second looking at the growth of diverse communities in the
South Wales coal ports in the Victorian era. He referred and outlined his assistance in proposals for the unveiling
of a Swansea Council blue plaque
to the anti-slavery campaigner and activist, Jessie Donaldson 1799-1889, which is planned for a
virtual unveiling on 25 March. The day is significant as the UN Day of Commemoration for the victims
of the historic slave trade. The event will be filmed and made available on the
UWTSD YouTube channel. He indicated would circulate the link of the recording
to members of the committee when available. Former British Home Stores Building He outlined that an opportunity has arisen for
consideration of 275-277 Oxford Street Swansea, the former British Home Stores
building, for conversion into a future archive repository, searchroom and
Family History Centre. This would be alongside other uses for the building
which would include a new Swansea Central Library and a Community Hub. He stated that funding has been granted for
an assessment by a multi-disciplinary team of the potential conversion of this
building. Major considerations for the Archives are whether the building has
the potential to meet the British Standard 16893:2018 for archival storage and
whether the conversion makes economic sense compared to the cost of an
alternative solution such as a new-build. Welsh Government and the National
Archives are providing advice and guidance throughout the process and at the
suggestion of Welsh Government, the service has. taken out a subscription to the National Conservation Service in order
to help provide some of the specialised advice needed on the collections’
conservation needs. Members welcomed the potential for the
development of a new city centre based facility for the service. Staff He outlined that the Family History Centre
Supervisor Lorna Crook left the Service on 5 December to take up employment
with the NHS. She was a well-respected colleague and one very popular with
family history users in both our Swansea and Neath service points. The post
currently remains vacant. Use of the Service He indicated that the figures relating the
use of the service reflect the effect of the pandemic Talks and Professional Meetings He reported on the various meetings attended by staff during
the quarter. Archive Collections He
reported on the list of archives received by the Service during the quarter, in
particular the collection acquired by
the service from a collector of seven illuminated addresses presented at
various times to Sir Henry Hussey Vivian between 1876 and 1893 by various
Swansea groups and organisations, including one recording the grant of honorary
freedom of the town to him. Use of the Service He reported on the use of the Service for the quarter and
detailed the background and rationale behind the quarterly statistics. He indicated that he expected the attendance figures for the
next quarter to be considerably down due to the coronavirus pandemic. |